Dean of European University of Lefke (EUL) Faculty of Dentistry Prof. Dr. Bengül Yurdukoru conveyed information on the importance of tooth decays in school age children.

Tooth decay is 5 times more common than allergic asthma in school-age children

Yurdukoru said that “Tooth decay is among the most common diseases in children. Researches, which state that tooth decays are the basis of many systemic diseases from autoimmune diseases to heart diseases, also emphasize that this is a chronic disease” and added that tooth decay is 5 times more common than allergic asthma in school-age children. She also said that with the opening of schools, the time devoted to self-care has also decreased, and taking some practical measures at this point may reduce the frequency of tooth decays.

Yurdukoru stated that “The first of these measures is not to give up brushing sessions that last at least twice a day and two minutes, despite the decreasing time. Our children can hinder their oral care in the morning with the rush of leaving home early. To prevent this, morning brushing can be done as soon as they get out of bed”. Yurdukoru also stated that some apps and songs that can be downloaded from smartphones and tablets increase children’s motivation for brushing teeth and underlined the importance of the need of parents to encourage their children to brush their teeth.

It is important to consume foods such as cheese, peanuts, cocoa, green tea, and probiotics against tooth decay

Yurdukoru said that “Other measures to be taken against tooth decay may be not to consume foods which cause decay, to consume plenty of water, to consume a lot of foods and probiotics such as cheese, peanuts, cocoa, green tea. Simply, every food that contains sugar, carbohydrates, starch and combinations of them will cause decays. In order for a food to cause caries, it is necessary to convert the mouth environment to acid, be sticky, difficult to clean over the teeth, change the consistency and structure of the saliva” and added that some healthy snacks (dates, raisins, squeezed fresh juices) also have the above-mentioned properties and cause decays.

Yurdukoru stated that the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that less than 10% of the daily intake of energy for each individual should contain sugar, otherwise tooth decay can be seen even if detailed oral care is performed every 12 hours.

She finally said that “Tooth decay is related not only to bad oral care, but also to malnutrition and frequent snacks. The parents’ own oral health also plays a direct (bacterial transition) and indirect (role model) role in their children’s oral health” and pointed out that it would be possible to raise a decay-free generation with the right brushing methods, the selection of brush and paste suitable for the age of the child and the control of the dentist every 6 months.